“The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.”
-Robert Frost
The terrific analogy by Sir Robert Frost perfectly epitomizes our lifestyle today. Getting a decent dose of pleasure these days requires a commodity as rare as a spam less day. The morning starts with planning the entire day step by step and making sure it ensues accordingly. We keep running the whole day long striving to accomplish the tasks at hand, completing the designated assignment, attending college, engaging in meetings, presenting the project before the deadline, preparing for interviews , running household errands , dropping and fetching kids to/from their school and well, the list is just endless. As the day comes to an end, we would trade anything for a peaceful night’s sleep. Well look, I just summarized the entire day for various different people in a few simple lines. So, is that it then?
That was the exact question I asked myself one crisp Sunday morning, as I sat there completing my assignments, which later metamorphosed into a week-long vacation to Murudeshwar.
Located on the western coast of Karnataka, Murudeshwar is beautifully concealed amid alluring hillocks and the majestic Arabian sea. Best described as the perfect blend of scenic beauty and spirituality, it is a modest town which envelopes the second tallest Shiva statue in the world. The picturesque town has a rich past which dates back to the days of Ramayana.
Enjoying a cup of coffee on the balcony of my hotel room, overlooking the gorgeous sea, the miracles of our wondrous Mother Nature dawned upon me. The tranquil waters which seemed so pleasant to the eyes at that moment had swallowed colossal vessels and extirpated civilizations. The thought stirred me, as did the untold sagas of that mystical place. After a healthy hour of contemplations and analogies, I decided to visit the temple. The prodigious statue of Lord Shiva enthralled me as I encircled it like an oblivious devotee completely absorbed in his Lord. The temple was ornamented with flowers, filling the air with a pleasant aroma. After spending a good number of hours in the temple, I went on to explore the lively town beautifully placed in the wilderness.
The small, yet vibrant market was sprawled across the street where local women were seen cooking mouth-watering seafood with coy smiles decorating their faces. After having a hearty and delectable supper, I went ahead to enjoy with the playful waves on the sea shore. Not having to work according to my day planner was such a welcome change. The cool breeze lightly brushed my hair as the sea looked abysmal. The sight of enticing waves as they smoothly caressed the sand and retreated was rejuvenating.
At Dusk, the town looked enchanting as it lit up. The Arti bells and drum beats reverberating through the temple and the surreal ambience invigorated me. Living life up to a certain expectation had never seemed a more trivial task to me. As night fell, I decided to go for a walk along the beach which was unusually quiet and deserted. The water which shone a bright grey under the moonlight had witnessed centuries drift by and withheld all its secrets deftly. It was in that moment, as I stood at the brink of land and gentle waves of brine kissed my silt soaked feet, I realised how each moment of our life is vanishing before our eyes in an avalanche of day to day activities which have become so monotonous that they define our life. With all due respect, refuting Sir William Henry Davies’s thought provoking musings, I believe even though this life is so full of care, we do have time to stand and stare. It only requires a great deal of zest and passion for our life to do so.
